"Tear Down the Flagpole"

"Ananda, go knock down that flagpole!" External trappings serve a purpose, but they aren't any less empty than what fills the robes, the bowl, or flies in the breeze. Attaching too much, they're a hindrance. Saying they're meaningless is a hindrance also. The middle path is to use what function is appropriate in the situation, not force the situation into the function, whether appropriate or not.